If he doesn’t get 60 votes, he does not become Supreme Court justice. Under current Senate rules, it takes 60 votes to end debate. Alito won the cloture vote, 72 to 25, but then was confirmed by a vote of 58 to 42. Sanders was perfectly happy to call Republicans’ demands for 60 votes “filibusters.” He should admit that’s what’s happening now, rather than engaging in verbal gymnastics to obscure the truth. Once again: There is no “traditional” 60-vote “standard” or “rule” for Supreme Court nominations, no matter how much or how often Democrats claim otherwise.

Source: Washington Post March 29, 2017 07:02 UTC